CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite (P469531)

Literary artifact dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period

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Museum Number

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Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

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Artifact Type

-

Material(s)

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Genre / Subgenre(s)

Literary (ETCSL 1.06.03 Ninurta and Turtle (composite))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

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Composite

object composite text
surface a
  beginning broken
1'. x [...]
2'. amar anzu{muszen} [...]
3'. {gesz}ilar KA [...]
4'. amar anzu{muszen} [...]
5'. ur-sag {d}nin-urta [...]
6'. {gesz}gag KA [...]
7'. amar anzu{muszen} [...]
8'. x x x [...]
  rest broken
surface b
1. du11-ga-ni-ta {gesz}tukul-zu hul-a mu-ni-in-tag
 en: “At his command your weapon struck me evilly.
2. me szu-ga2 szu ba-ba-gu10-ne me-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4
 en: As I let the divine powers go out of my hand, these divine powers returned to the abzu.
3. gesz-hur szu-ga2 szu ba-ba-gu10-ne gesz-hur-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4
 en: As I let the divine plan go out of my hand, this divine plan returned to the abzu.
4. dub nam-tar-ra-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4 me ab-la2-e-en
 en: This tablet of destinies returned to the abzu. I was stripped of the divine powers.”
5. inim amar anzu{muszen}-sze3 {d}nin-urta lul-asz ba-an-si
 en: Ninurta was stunned at these words of the Anzu-chick.
6. {d}nin-men-na-ke4 a-nir im-ga2-ga2
 en: Ninmena gave out a wail:
7. ge26-e me-bi szu-gu10-usz li-bi2-ku4 nam-en-bi nu-ak-e
 en: “And what about me? These divine powers have not fallen into my hand.
8. ge26-e e-ne-gin7 esz3-e? abzu-a nu-mu-un-til
 en: I shall not exercise their authority. I shall not live (?) like him in the shrine, in the abzu.”
9. a-a {d}en-ki inim mu-un-du11-du11-ga-a abzu-a ba-da-an-zu
 en: Father Enki in the abzu knew what had been said.
10. ur-sag {d}nin-urta amar anzu{muszen}-de3 szu-ni bi2-in-ti
 en: The Anzu-chick took the hero Ninurta by his hand
11. ki {d}en-ki-ka3-sze3 abzu-sze3 im-ma-da-te
 en: and drew near with him to Enki’s place, the abzu.
12. {d}u4-ta-u18-lu amar anzu{muszen}-de3 abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4
 en: The Anzu-chick returned Uta-ulu to the abzu.
13. en-e ur-sag-ra ba-szi-hul2
 en: The lord was delighted with the hero,
14. a-a {d}en-ki ur-sag {d}nin-urta-ra ba-szi-hul2
 en: Father Enki was delighted with the hero Ninurta.
15. en {d}nu-dim2-mud-e mi2 zi mu-un-i-i-de3?
 en: Lord Nudimmud honored him duly:
16. ur-sag-e dingir szesz-zu-ne-a dingir na-me ur5-gin7 nu-mu-un-ak-e
 en: “Hero, no god among your brother gods could have acted so.
17. muszen {gesz}tukul kal-ga-zu bi2-dab5-ba-sze3
 en: As for the bird which your mighty weapon captured,
18. u4 me-da u4 ul-le2-sze3 gu2-bi giri3-zu ba-gub-be2-en
 en: from now to eternity you will keep your foot placed on its neck.
19. dingir gal-gal-e-ne a2 nam-ur-sag-ga2-zu me-tesz2 he2-i-i-ne
 en: May the great gods give your heroic strength its due.
20. a-a-zu {d}en-lil2-le nig2-du11-zu he2-ak
 en: May your father Enlil do whatever you command.
21. {d}nin-men-na-ke4 kin-se3-ga-zu na-an-dim2-e
 en: May Ninmena not fashion your equal (?).
22. za-e-gin7 ni2 na-ab-tuku dingir na-me igi-zu-sze3 szu si sa2 na-an-sa2-e
 en: May no one be as revered as you and no god extend an upraised hand before you.
23. iti-da esz3-e abzu-a igi-du8-a e2?-zu sag he2-us2
 en: Monthly may your house (?) regularly receive tributes in the shrine, in the abzu.
24. an za3 gal-la mu-zu he2-pa3-de3
 en: May An (?) proclaim your name in the seat of honor.”
25. ur-sag nam-tar-ra-bi sza3-bi nu-hul2
 en: The hero secretly was not happy with these promises.
26. ki-gub-ba-ni a-ge6? i-im-ku10-ku10-ge i-sig7-sig7-ge
 en: Where he stood, he darkened and yellowed like (?) a flood-storm (?).
27. sza3-bi nig2 gal-gal i-im-bala-bala sza3-bi i3-kur2-kur2
 en: He contemplated great deeds and inwardly he was rebellious.
28. inim da-bi nu-ub-tuku-a bar-bi i-im-du11-du11
 en: He uttered a word which has no ...
29. ur-sag {d}nin-urta igi-bi ki-szar2-ra ba-ni-in-gar
 en: The hero Ninurta set his sights on the whole world.
30. lu2 na-me nu-ub-du11 sza3-bi zi nu-x-x
 en: He told no one and inwardly did not ...
31. en gal {d}en-ki ki ni2-te-na-ke4 inim sza3-bi ba-x-zu
 en: The great lord Enki intuitively grasped the substance of the plan.
32. esz3-e abzu-a a-ge6 mud i-im-tuk4-tuk4-e
 en: In the shrine, in the abzu he stirred up a dark flood-storm.
33. sukkal {d}isimudx(|PAB.NUN.ME.EZEN|)-de3 e2-e giri3 mu-un-ru-gu2
 en: By the house the minister Isimud opposed Ninurta.
34. ur-sag {d}nin-urta e3-de3 nu-mu-un-sze-sze
 en: The hero Ninurta refused to come out
35. sukkal {d}isimudx(|PAB.NUN.ME.EZEN|)-de3-esz2 szu-ni ba-an-zi
 en: and raised his hand against the minister Isimud.
36. {d}en-ki-ke4 im abzu-a ba-al-gu7 ba-da-an-dim2
 en: (Against Ninurta,) Enki fashioned a turtle from the clay of the abzu.
37. ki sun5-na ka2 abzu-a ba-al-gu7 ba-da-an-gub
 en: Against him he stationed the turtle at an opening, at the gate of the abzu.
38. {d}en-ki-ke4 ki-lul-la-ke4 mu-un-na-ab-du11-du11
 en: Enki talked to him near the place of the ambush
39. ki-gub-ba ba-al-gi4-sze3 ba-da-an-tum3
 en: and brought him to the place where the turtle was.
40. ba-al-gu7 egir-ra-ni sa-bi ba-da-an-dab5
 en: The turtle was able to grab Ninurta's tendon from behind.
41. ur-sag {d}nin-urta giri3-bi ba-da-an-gi4
 en: The hero Ninurta managed to turn back its feet.
42. {d}en-ki nu-zu-gin7 a-na-am3 ne-e im-me
 en: Enki, as if perplexed, said, “What is this?!”
43. umbin-giri3-bi ki bi2-in-hur habrud hul ba-da-an-dun
 en: He had the turtle scrape the ground with its claws, had it dig an evil pit.
44. ur-sag {d}nin-urta sza3-bi ba-da-an-szub
 en: The hero Ninurta fell into it with the turtle.
45. ur-sag-e ga-x x e11-de3 nu-mu-un-zu-am3
 en: The hero did not know how to get out from ...
46. ba-al-gu7 giri3? umbin-giri3-bi ba-an-sur-sur
 en: The turtle kept on gnawing his feet with its claws (?).
47. en gal {d}en-ki-ke4 gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
 en: The great lord Enki said to him:
48. me x kur?-ta mu-ni-in-nigin2-nigin2 mu-pa3-de3
 en: “From ..., you who set your mind to kill me,
49. ge26-ra sag gesz? ra-gu10-usz igi-zu mu-e-gar-ra-am3
 en: ... who makes big claims—
50. x-bil2-ga gal-gal di ge26-e bi2-ib2-ga2-ga2 ge26-e bi2-ib2-zi-de3
 en: I cut down, I raise up.
51. za-e ge26-ra a-gin7 igi-zu mu-gar-ra
 en: You who set your sights on me like this—
52. ki-gub-ba-zu a-na-am3 mu-ra-an-dab5 a-ra2?-bi a-na-gin7-nam
 en: what has your position seized for you, how ...?
53. nam-kal-ga-zu me-sze3 ba-an-gen nam-ur-sag-zu me-a
 en: Where has your strength fled? Where is your heroism?
54. hur-sag gal-gal-e mu-ni-in-gul-gul e-ne-esz2 a-na-am3 mu-e11-de3
 en: In the great mountains you caused destruction, but how will you get out now?”
55. {d}nin-men-na-ke4 inim-bi ba-da-an-pa3
 en: Ninmena learned of this situation.
56. tug2 bar-ra-na al-bir7?-re KASZ4 im-sar-sar-re
 en: She was ripping the clothes from her body, she ... .
57. {u2}ug gu7-gu7-gu10-usz za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2
 en: “My ug-plant-eater Enki, whom shall I send to you?
58. lu2 sag-bi mu-un-bul-bul ba-x-x-un-GIL-x za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2
 en: Men will shake their heads in fear ..., whom shall I send to you?
59. dam-an-ki mu-bi nu-me-a u4-gu7-gu7-nu-de2-de2 mu-bi-im
 en: That name is not Enki. That name is Ugugu-that-does-not-pour (?).
60. nam-usz2 szu gar nu-tuku-a za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2
 en: You who are death without mercy, whom shall I send to you?”
  rest broken

Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Consult word list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

  • Artifact type: Artifact type comments:

    composite text

  • Material:
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation:
  • Condition Description:
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

    composite text

  • Genre(s): Literary (ETCSL 1.06.03 Ninurta and Turtle (composite))
  • Language(s): Sumerian


  • history: ETCSL, (1998-2006) 1.6.3 Ninurta and the turtle

    [BlackETCSL] Black, Jeremy A. 1998-2006. “Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.” https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk. 1998-2006.

  • Composite No.: Q000352
  • Museum No.:
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience:
  • Elevation:
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  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2016-04-23 at 16:27:10 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2016-01-05 at 17:31:48 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2016-01-03 at 09:09:13 Dahl, Jacob L. Atf Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI approved View
2014-09-08 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Wagensonner, Klaus CDLI approved View

Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:

    There is no external resource for this artifact yet.

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -
Cite this Artifact
“CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) Composite Artifact Entry.” 2014. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). September 8, 2014. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P469531.
CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite artifact entry (No. P469531). (2014, September 8). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.ucla.edu/P469531
CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite artifact entry (2014) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.ucla.edu/P469531 (Accessed: March 29, 2024).
@misc{2014CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2024-03-29]},
	year = {2014},
	month = {sep 8},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000352 ({Ninurta} and the {Turtle}) composite artifact entry},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P469531},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2014/9/8/
PY  - 2014
ID  - P469531
LB  - CDLI:P469531
M1  - 2024/3/29/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite artifact entry

UR  - https://cdli.ucla.edu/P469531
ER  - 
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